East and North India to receive widespread rains this week: IMD

A low-pressure area, triggered by a cyclonic circulation over the northwest of Bay of Bengal, is going to develop over the next two days and will result in widespread rainfall over West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh; hill states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, northeast and Delhi-National Capital Region in the days ahead, the Met said on Sunday.

In the past fortnight, southwest monsoon has showered good amount of rains in the Terai plains and central parts of UP and in eastern parts of Bihar. The incessant rains in these parts also caused the rivers to swell and led to the death of over 150 people in UP.

However, the rain-bearing low-pressure system is much needed as several districts are facing significant rainfall deficit.

"Under the influence (of low-pressure), fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall is likely to continue over the northern belt comprising Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura during next 2-3 days," the India Meteorological Department said.

According to IMD's data on district-wise distribution of rainfall, 24 of Bihar's 38 districts are in the red, having received deficient rainfall. Districts such as Saharsa, Arwal, Muzaffarpur and Siwan have recorded a deficit of 40 per cent and above. In UP, 23 districts, mainly in the Purvanchal region and few in western UP, have recorded deficient rainfall. Mau and Kushinagar districts have recorded 'large deficit', with rains 80 per cent and 66 per cent below normal.

The rains expected in the coming days will also bring respite for Delhi-NCR, which saw hot and humid days in the past week with the days temperatures hovering between 33-35 degree Celsius. IMD's forecast shows there would spells of rain and thundershowers in Delhi-NCR and day temperatures might drop to 31 degree Celsius in the coming weeks.